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Obesity Prevention

The Obesity Problem

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in New York State and across the nation. While many epidemics can be defeated with a pill or a vaccine, preventing or reversing obesity requires changes in behavior as well as access to affordable, nutritious foods and opportunities for physical activity in the places where people live, learn, eat, shop, work and play.

Obesity and overweight are currently the second leading preventable cause of death in the United States and may soon overtake tobacco as the leading cause of death. Failing to win the battle against obesity will mean premature death and disability for an increasingly large segment of New York residents.

Obesity Prevalence

The percentage of New York State adults who are overweight or obese increased from 42% in 1997 to 61.3% in 2013.

The percentage of New York State adults who are obese increased from 16% in 1997 to 25.4% in 2013.

Obesity among children and adolescents has tripled over the past three decades. Currently, a third of New York's children are obese or overweight.

Overweight and obesity cause serious health problems, including

Type 2 diabetes

Heart disease

High cholesterol

High blood pressure

Stroke

Several forms of cancer

Asthma

Osteoarthritis

Increasingly, many of these diseases, previously associated only with adulthood, are also being seen in overweight and obese children. Along with the risks for life-shortening chronic diseases, being overweight in a society that stigmatizes this condition contributes to poor mental health associated with serious shame, self-blame, low self-esteem and depression.